Young people get ‘Buddies’ in South Shields

South Tyneside Homes has been working in partnership with the award-winning Tyne Gateway Project to launch the ‘Home Buddy’ pilot scheme, to help young people living in council homes cope with the responsibilities of managing their own tenancy.

Over the next six months, four ‘Home Buddies’ will be providing free one to one housing support to young people, aged between 16-24, living on the Laygate and Trinity Estates in South Shields.

They will be carrying out individual home visits to give help and guidance on rent, budgeting and independent living skills. They will also give advice on the various support agencies in the community.

The scheme has been developed by community entrepreneur Suzanne Burn. She said: “The Home Buddy scheme is a new and innovative way of delivering a support service. Home Buddies are a group of young adults from the community who in the past have had issues in keeping their own tenancies and understand the difficulties facing young tenants.

“The service is free and confidential for young adults to help ensure they get the best possible support in setting up and maintaining their home.”

Tracey Richardson, Tyne Gateway area manager for South Tyneside, added: “Tyne Gateway is a unique award winning project which employs 20 Community Entrepreneurs recruited from our communities to work in South Tyneside and North Tyneside.

“Home Buddies is an excellent example of one of the projects they have developed to support families and children who are in or at risk of poverty. The project ideas have come from the Community Entrepreneur’s own life experiences and they have been supported and trained to bring these project ideas to fruition.”

Funding for the scheme is being provided by the Tyne Gateway Project and Future Jobs Fund.